During the early centuries of the Common Era, land grants were frequently documented through inscriptions. While stone inscriptions existed, copper plates were more common and likely served as transaction records for the land recipients. Surviving records primarily pertain to grants made to religious institutions or Brahmanas, with Sanskrit being the prevalent language used in most inscriptions. Notably, from the seventh century onwards, some inscriptions combined Sanskrit with local languages like Tamil or Telugu.

Which of the following statement is true in relation to the land grants of the 6th-7th century?

All of the above.

There were regional variations in the sizes of land donated – ranging from small plots to vast stretches of uncultivated land – and the rights given to donees (the recipients of the grant). The impact of land grants is a subject of heated debate among historians. Some feel that land grants were part of a strategy adopted by ruling lineages to extend agriculture to new areas. Others suggest that land grants were indicative of weakening political power: as kings were losing control over their samantas, they tried to win allies by making grants of land.